Celebrating Two Years With Live Lovely | 2 Year Blog Anniversary

Live Lovely Photography has been in business for several years now. At the start, I only blogged my wedding and engagement photography, until two Springs ago when a big life change inspired me to pursue blogging along with my photography. Two years ago this April, Live Lovely became a lifestyle and travel blog. My degree is in photography and I have a minor in journalism (and art history) because I love to write and tell stories about my photography and my travels. My first career goal was to actually be a photojournalist before I discovered my love for wedding photography. Today I still tell stories with my camera, but most of those stories are the love stories of the couples I photograph, my travels, and imagery for my live lovely blog posts. When I first discovered blogs a decade ago, I had zero interest in starting one. I never would have imagined that I would be here in 2019! 

Year one was all about “what in the world am I going to blog about? I have so many ideas!” and year two was all about figuring out how to get started as a blogging business (along with my weddings and destination wedding photography). Was it possible to do both? My response; “Why not?” If you enjoy something and there is a need or an audience for it, then it can be done. Everything is worth trying. 

Now that I find myself celebrating two years and starting year number three, I have some structure and a clear plan to implement. So where will this take me in 2019? 

My blog is more of a lifestyle blog these days; I still blog my weddings, destination weddings, engagements, and maternity photography as well as wedding planning tips for my couples-in-love. I write travel guides, New England and Connecticut travel posts, and about living lovely. To me, “Living Lovely” is all about living your best life; it encompasses simple living, positive psychology, wellness, hygge, health, natural beauty, as well as other aspects of living well. I originally started writing these posts just for me, thinking that they would be the less-read of my blog posts. Wow was I surprised to discover that my living lovely posts became my most popular and sought after blog topics! 

This year you will see a whole lot more New England travel and Connecticut Charm posts, including some sponsored posts by Winvian Farm, a luxury resort in the Litchfield Hills. I feel so honored to be able to photograph and write about my favorite places. I adore being able to share my love for my home and New England on the blog. Although wedding photography is my passion, I enjoy having the opportunity to be able to share my multiple interests and inspire others to explore and to focus on their well being as well. 

Thank you so much for my dedicated readers, brides and grooms, and my new readers as well. When I was going through hard times and almost gave up, you were the ones that supported my blog and kept me motivated. Not my family, not my friends; that was all you. At the end of last summer someone close to me told me that my blog wasn’t going anywhere, that I couldn’t make a living from it, and that it wasn’t making a difference to anyone. The next morning, completely unexpectedly, I received a private message from a reader all away across the world. She told me that she had been going through some difficulties in her life and that my blog inspired her to find beauty in the every day and that my advice also helped her save money and still be able to have fun. And so I knew then that even if I only ever reach one person, that it was more than worth it. And even if no one ever read it at all, it still brought me great joy to be able to share my ideas, focus on creativity, work on my photography, and challenge myself live my manifesto; to live lovely. This blog brings so much meaning and purpose into my life. I appreciate all of you so much. Thank you. 

With appreciation, 

Courtney